Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

2005 CHAPTER 15

The Act

Commentary on Sections

Part 3: Police powers etc.

Section 114: Search warrants: other amendments

248. This section makes further amendments to PACE in respect of search warrants.

249. Subsection (2) inserts new subsections (1C) and (1D) into section 8 of PACE; these provide that a warrant (either an “all premises warrant” or a “specific premises warrant”) may authorise access on more than one occasion, if necessary.

250. Subsections (3) to (7) amend section 15 of PACE. Subsection (4) sets out the information which an application for a warrant authorising multiple entry must include. In particular, the applicant must set out the grounds on which a multiple entry warrant has been sought.

251. Subsection (8) amends section 16 of PACE to provide that the second and any subsequent entries must be authorised in writing by an officer of the rank of inspector or above. It also extends the lifetime of the warrant from one month to three months (see the amendment to section 16(3)).